Gordon
'''Gordon '''is a large, blue GNR A1 Pacific express engine. He was built as a prototype engine for the later members of his class. He was completed in June, 1922, and when the Great Northern Railway's workshop found Gordon to be a success, they ordered more A1 locomotives. Gordon lived at Doncaster with his brothers, Flying Scotsman (then known only as "1472"), Great Northern, and Sir Fredrick Banberry. He travelled a lot during his time on the LNER, and met many of his brothers, including Solario, Victor Wild, Flying Fox, Royal Lancer and Gay Crusader to name a few, before being purchased by the North Western Railway a year after he was built, in June of 1923. He was purchased to solve the locomotive crisis on the North Western Railway. Bio In 1919, Sir Nigel Gresley was attempting to design plans for a new kind of express engine. Originally, he rejected almost all of his designs, before he finally came up with a design he was happy with. In early 1922, the Great Northern Railway's Doncaster Works started building a prototype based on Gresley's designs. He was completed sometime in June, 1922. After a series of trials, they found the prototype to be a success. Gordon, although not yet named, received countless praise from both the men in the workshops and the railway board alike. Immediately, the railway requested more engines like Gordon, and before long, Gordon found himself among a fleet of engines just like him. After being built, Gordon spent a year living on the Great Northern Railway/the early London and North Eastern Railway. Gordon became close with his brothers, especially Flying Scotsman (then known only as "1472"). Both engines lived in a big shed at Doncaster with their brothers; Great Northern, and Sir Fredrick Banberry. He helped pull several trains along the railway, to London and many other places. In June, 1923, Gordon was purchased for work on the North Western Railway. At first, Gordon was pleased. His brothers congratulated him and told him to make them proud, however, Gordon was shocked to discover once he arrived, he was in the company of smaller engines. During his life before his arrival on Sodor, Gordon had been engineered to believe that he was better than small engines. Upon realizing that the company he was now in only consisted of smaller engines, Gordon became boastful. After he arrived, he ran a trial run to London and back. When he returned, he learned that along the way, he beat a record, and had gone 100 mph. After this, the fat controller placed Gordon on regular express services, and soon, he was given his own named express; the Wild Nor' Wester. He was very proud of this, and grew more conceited than ever. He constantly criticized the smaller engines, especially Edward, who was no stranger to bullying. Once however, after Henry failed, Gordon had to pull a goods train to the end of the line, but he got stuck on the hill situated between Wellsworth and Maron, and Edward had to come bank him. Gordon was embarrassed at first, but quickly began denying the situation took place to begin with. Gordon also looked down upon Henry, so when Henry was bricked up inside the tunnel, Gordon took great pride in being the only proper express engine still in service on the railway. He made fun of Henry every time he passed through the tunnel, until one day, Gordon burst his safety valve outside the tunnel. At first, Edward was called to pull the train. However, they soon discovered that Edward was unable to pull the train alone. So, they took down the wall and let Henry out of the tunnel to help bring the train home. Afterwards, Henry and Edward helped bring Gordon home together. Gordon gained a newfound respect for Henry after this, although he wasn't pleased that Henry had been repainted blue like him. Gordon's pompous attitude lead to the smaller engines teasing him relentlessly. Thomas was especially rude. After pulling an express to London and back one day, Gordon found himself napping in a siding when Thomas whistled rudely at him. Gordon was cross, and decided to pay Thomas out. When Thomas was shunting Gordon's coaches the next day, he was late. Gordon took advantage of this, and set off before Thomas was uncoupled. Thomas dragged half way across the island until Gordon stopped in Wellsworth. Once Thomas left the yard to work on his branch line, Gordon, Henry, and James were furious with the prospect of having to shunt their own coaches. After James, Henry, and Gordon each had their own incidents, Gordon proposed a strike after hearing his crew discuss a strike on the Mainland. The fat controller had no choice other than to bring in Edward, who was also a tender engine. The three big engines made fun of Edward and called him rude names. As a result, the fat controller shut Gordon, Henry and James up in their sheds, brought Thomas back from the branch line and purchased Percy. When the big engines were finally let out, Gordon almost had a serious accident with Percy when the tank engine stood on the Main Line and forgot to warn the signalman he was there. Percy ran away after this, and stopped in a big bank of earth. Gordon came to his rescue and found the whole situation rather amusing. When Henry returned from his rebuild, he was often in good spirits. This annoyed Gordon to no end. Gordon would often insult Henry for how much he whistled, but received his comeuppance when his whistle jammed and blew continuously until it was knocked into place at the big station. In 1939, Gordon went to Crewe for a rebuild. His conjugated valve gear was replaced by a two-cylinder chassis (designed by the Fat Controller), he received a smoother running plate, Stanier underframes, wheels, cylinders, squared-off side windows, rectangular buffers and a Fowler tender. Once, Gordon was tasked with pulling a goods train to the mainland, but he was so cross about it that he ran into a ditch when his crew tried turning him around on the turntable at Vicarstown. Shortly afterwards, Thomas teased him about this, until he fell down a mine. Gordon was sent to rescue him, and the two engines formed an alliance; "''You help me, I'll help you". ''When they arrived home, the two engines received word that the Queen herself was visiting. Originally, Henry was going to pull the Royal train, but after an accident with some paint pots, Gordon took it instead. In 1952, Edward had a run in with some cows, and Gordon and Henry would not let him forget it, that is until Henry and Gordon were stopped on a bridge because of a cow themselves. Gordon and Duck got into an argument once with an engine from the Mainland over the name of London station. Duck insisted it was Paddington, the Patriot believed it was Euston, and Gordon thought it was Kings Cross. After the Patriot derailed at Barrow, Gordon was allowed to take the train to London. When he arrived, he found out the station was actually St. Pancras. When Diesel came on trial, he spread lies about the big engines and blamed Duck. So, Gordon, along with Henry and James, blocked Duck from entering the shed. Duck was sent away for this, until the fat controller concluded that Diesel started the rumours. Gordon, along with the other engines, gave Duck a warm welcome when he returned. After BoCo arrived and was allowed to take the express, Gordon was furious complained to Edward about how 'vulgar' branch lines are. Then one evening, after his crew mistook a green hat for a green flag, Gordon was delayed until Edward had left with his train. The signalman at Edward's station wasn't aware of the change however, and Edward was sent down the Main Line while Gordon went down Edward's Branch Line and wound up in the harbour at Brendam. Bill and Ben came next morning and teased about dumping him in the sea, when BoCo arrived and sent the twins on their way. Gordon believed from this day on that BoCo had saved his life. In 1967, Gordon received the news that nearly all of his brothers had been scrapped. He mourned for them for days, and the other engines teased him about it. The fat controller felt sorry for Gordon, so he arranged for Gordon's only remaining brother, Flying Scotsman, to visit. Gordon was delighted and the two chatted for hours on end about the old days. In 1982, Gordon was in need of new tubes and spent several days at the works while Henry pulled his express. After Henry fell ill however, Thomas, Percy, and Duck all took the train together to the works, where Gordon watched, amazed by the little engines' feat. Afterwards, Gordon gained a newfound respect for the smaller engines. A few years later, Gordon began hearing about "high-speed engines" and thought he could go faster. One day, when the rails at the big station were slippery, Gordon slipped on them, causing the water in his boiler to surge forward, making him unable to stop making steam. His wheels spun rapidly, but he wasn't moving anywhere. He wore out the rails and once he had run out of steam, he was shunted back to the sheds. After this happens, Gordon begins feeling stuffed up and sneezes at Edward's station, showering wedding guests all in soot and ash. Then on his return journey, he sprayed soot all over the fat controller's top hat. Later, Gordon was trying to make amends when his firebars collapsed on the hill. Gordon did manage to struggle to the end of the line however, and just as the fat controller was about to speak to Gordon for the first time since showering him with soot, the guard's whistle blows and the fat controller must go. Later, after Gordon was repaired, he was at the big station on the Mainland when a railtour to Carlisle is delayed due to a diesel failing. Gordon is asked to take it instead, and Gordon is delighted to. When Gordon returns home, the fat controller forgives him. In 1995, the Queen's golden jubilee is celebrated and Pip and Emma are borrowed to pull the special train. Gordon sulks while he pulls his next train, but as he passes through the tunnel at Knapford, he's hit by a birdstrike and Gordon gets teased about it. When the line running to Kirk Ronan was reopened in 1998, Gordon was chosen to take the first train into the station. He was disappointed to find the station a terminus station, with no view through the back. Just a big empty wall. He complained about deserving a proper view relentlessly. However, after breaking down, he was sent to the works. It was a rushed job, intended to be done before the opening of the station, and as a result of this, Gordon's brakes were stiff and hard to apply. As Gordon approached the new station, he was unable to stop, and he smashed straight through the back wall of the station. After being repaired again, Gordon brought the passengers to the grand reopening, where he found a hole in his shape in front of him, with a sign reading "Gordon's View". Later, Gordon was having trouble with his fire and his crew suggested that it was the work of gremlins. Gordon dismisses this as nonsense, and the engines argue about it until the fat controller arrives to tell Gordon that he's been chartered to take a VIP who later turned out to the fat controller's mother. Shortly after this, another VIP arrived and was taken by Harold. Gordon, along with the other big engines became jealous and thought Harold was replacing them. Gordon grew very antsy about this, and one day decided to race Harold. He soon learned his mistake however, as he ran through a red signal on his way to Kirk Ronan and was sent along the old branch line headed to the abandoned Kirk Ronan station. There was a tunnel on the way however, and it had collapsed. Gordon rushed into it and crashed into piles of sand. A few years later, Gordon was forced to pull a series of goods trains from Brendam Docks much to his dismay. Salty teased Gordon, and Gordon wanted to prove him wrong. But, due to a careless signalman, Gordon was diverted down yet another old branch line, where he tumbled off the rails and landed in a farmers field. Later, after Edward broke down again, Gordon thought he should be retired due to how unreliable he is. After Duck broke down on the hill however, and Gordon was stuck behind him, Edward arrived and banked both trains all the way to the big station, proving Gordon wrong once again. Another time, a Best Dressed Engine competition was held, which Gordon thought vulgar, that was until a banner hanging from a bridge came loose and got caught on Gordon's smokebox. As a result, Gordon won the Best Dressed Engine competition. Not long later, word spread that the Duke and Duchess of Boxford were visiting Sodor for the first time in many years. Gordon believed he would be the engine to pull them, until he found out that the Duke and Duchess of Boxford owned their own private steam engine (Spencer). Spencer was rude, arrogant, and bigheaded. Gordon warned him about taking extra water to tackle the hill, but he didn't listen and got stuck. Gordon came to rescue and brought Spencer, the Duke, and the Duchess to the party at Maron station. In 2004, Percy was being asked to take Thomas' passengers while Thomas was away at the works. Percy was worried, so Gordon decided to give him a few pointers. But, when Gordon started showing off rather than teaching Percy, he received his comeuppance by slipping on icy rails and crashing into a snow drift at Kellsthorpe Road station. After this, Gordon found he had a squeak coming from his rods. Worried he'd be scrapped, Gordon begins travelling as slow as he could so that the squeak would be quiet. Then, after the fat controller arranged a special train to Norramby, Gordon was more worried than ever. But, he decided that if it was his last trip, he'd make it a good one. He arrived bang on time and got everyone to Norramby in time for their boat. The fat controller was very pleased and sent Gordon to the works for repairs. In 2007, there was a signal failure on the Main Line and Gordon was in charge of getting a train of workmen to the broken signal. However, instead of picking up the workmen, Gordon picks up regular passengers and leaves before the workmen had even arrived. He brings the passengers to the broken signal, but all of them are confused and Gordon realizes his mistake. He returns to the last station where the workmen are waiting. He takes them on to the signal and in no time at all, it's repaired. The following year, the fat controller decided that the engine who made their journey the quickest to Great Waterton would be permanently rostered top bring passengers there. Gordon foolishly decided to take a shortcut but got lost along the way, resulting in Stanley being the engine chosen. One winter, Gordon was chosen to take workmen to help clear a tunnel on one of the branch lines. He gets conceited however, and accidentally creates a massive pileup of snow on a gradient near Tidmouth with Thomas runs into and derails. In 2011, Gordon was taking a local train down the main line when he found a fire on the road below a bridge. Gordon offered the water in his tanks and he helped put the fire out before the fire crews had even arrived. Gordon was rewarded with a special medal for helping put the fire out. After a near collision with Paxton the diesel, Gordon's boiler was damaged and started leaking water, making Gordon run dry very quickly. Gordon becomes impatient with stopping for more water so frequently though, so he doesn't, and ends up completely out of steam. Later, Gordon had yet another incident with Edward where he called him unreliable and was ungrateful for his efforts as banker. And with a little help from Thomas, Gordon managed to learn to appreciate Edward at long last. Gordon later forgot to ash out his firebox one night, and it resulted in him being so late for the express that Henry was asked to pull it instead, while Gordon was forced to do Henry's work. Gordon was stuck taking goods all day and was forced to learn that he's not so vital to the express after all. When the Great Railway Show came about and the fat controller's railway was invited, he chose to send Gordon and have him streamlined. When he arrived, Gordon was reunited with his brother, the Flying Scotsman. The two engines gained a rivalry, but when Gordon's safety valve wasn't fitted during his streamlining, it leads to a near fatal accident in the middle of the race. Gordon was repaired after, and he returned to his usual life of pulling the express on Sodor. Persona Gordon the Big Engine pulls express passenger trains and some goods along the Main Line running from Knapford to Barrow-In-Furness. Gordon is one of the most powerful steam locomotives on Sodor--and he knows it. Since Gordon was built, he’s always been lead to believe that bigger and faster engines like him were superior to the common tank engines situated all over yards across the UK. Once arriving on Sodor however, he was thrown into a small world with fewer big engines. This made him believe he was superior, and while he’s learned otherwise, he doesn’t always act like it. He continues to this day to boast about his superiority to the rest. In his defence, he doesn’t know of anything else as it’s all he learned prior to coming to Sodor. Over the years he has matured slightly and grown used to their ways, and while he no longer scoffs at every little thing that doesn’t concern him, his original ideals never really left him. He wants to help others and do what he can to be really useful (something he’s learned from his least favourite engines on the island; Thomas and Edward) but still has a hard time dropping his arrogant front. This isn’t helped by the fact that for years he was the only engine capable of pulling Wild Nor’ Wester express service from Knapford to Barrow-In-Furness. That was however, before Pip and Emma the diesel-electric engines came along. They now pull Gordon’s old express from Tidmouth to London, but Gordon is still running daily express services to Barrow. He often expects important jobs and sulks when they’re not given to him. Gordon has always had a particular dislike towards Edward especially, as Edward embodies everything Gordon was taught was wrong. Edward is a tender engine, he pulls goods and he shunts his own trains. To Gordon, this was always the driving factor which made him despise Edward. That was until other engines such as Henry and James arrived. Gordon still held a grudge against Edward for many years though, and still somewhat does to this day. Gordon can be summed up as a conflicted engine, wanting to be better but having a hard time with it. He’s also a very suspicious type. Basis Gordon is a prototype for the GNR A1/1 Pacific class. Built in June of 1922, Gordon served as the first step in the next evolution of express steam engines. He lived in Doncaster, pulling passenger trains across the LNER for a year before being purchased for full service on the North Western Railway. Livery When Gordon was initially built, he was a works grey colour. However, after being put into service on the GNR and LNER, he was repainted GNR Doncaster green with white and black lining. When he was sold to the NWR, he was repainted blue with red lining and a yellow #4 on his tender. Gallery GordonGoesForeignRS6.PNG TendersforHenryRS2.png Gordon'sFireServiceRS6.png ThomasandGordon64.jpg ThomasandGordon15.jpg ThomasandGordon68.jpg ThomasandGordon67.jpg EdwardandGordon57.jpg Edward,GordonandHenry27.jpg Edward,GordonandHenry22.PNG TendersandTurntables10-1.jpg TroubleintheShed51.png TroubleintheShed40.jpg PercyRunsAway25.PNG WhistlesandSneezes1.PNG WhistlesandSneezes60.png OfftheRails21.png DowntheMine59.png Thomas'ChristmasParty36.jpg Cows20.png PercyandtheSignal32.png BreakVan52.jpg WrongRoad41.jpg ThomasandtheMissingChristmasTree30.jpg GordonandtheFamousVisitor71.png TheTroublewithMud30.jpg TheTroublewithMud15.PNG TheTroublewithMud37.jpg TheTroublewithMud23.PNG NoJokeForJames77.png TenderEngines9.jpg OliverOwnsUp89.jpg BowledOut65.jpg PaintPotsandQueens68.png PaintPotsandQueens74.jpg PaintPotsandQueens76.jpg Category:North Western Railway Category:The Main Line